Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said stern action will be taken against those who will use drinking water for their personal use depriving lakhs of people.

“It is a criminal offence and police will take stern action against the people with vested interest,” she said. She instructed the district magistrates, sub-divisional and block development officers and superintendents of police not to listen to any leader belonging to any political party and take stern action against the offenders.

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Miss Banerjee took a review meeting to discuss the issue. The meeting was also attended by the chief secretary and home secretary.

The state government has spent Rs 55,000 crore for supplying drinking water to the rural people by the public health engineering department. It has been decided that she will take the meeting every Monday to discuss the update on the action taken. She said the departments of agriculture, irrigation and waterways, power, public works and public health engineering should cooperate with police and administration to stop this corrupt practice. The district magistrates and superintendents of police took part in the meeting virtually which was held in the Assembly House.

She said water was being misued in 18,230 locations. She said in many cases underground pipes are being broken and water being diverted for irrigation purpose. In many cases, water meant for people are being misued by some corrupt business who are using the water for their personal gain. In addition to this, many contractors have not finished their water. She ordered to blacklist these contractors, who will fail to meet the deadline.

She said in 18,230 locations the pipelines have been damaged for personal gains. In East Midnapore, pipes have been damaged in 3,893 locations, which is highest in the state followed by south 24-Parganas where pipes have been disturbed in 3,889 locations. In North 24-Parganas, pipes have been damaged in 3,031 locations. She asked the officials of irrigation and waterways department and agriculture department to visit the places and make some alternative arrangements to provide irrigation water to the agricultural field where drinking water has been sent illegally.

Miss Banerjee said more than 50 lakh people have been deprived following the lackadaisical of the central agencies like DVC, National Highway Authority of India, ECL among others.

She said this malpractice will have to be stopped and anyone misusing drinking water for their personal benefit will be brought to book. “We cannot afford to deprive lakh of people. We are not going to acquire fresh land till the work is completed,” she maintained.